Tonsillectomy

Tonsillectomy

A tonsillectomy (ton-seh-leck-teh-me) is an operation in which the tonsils are taken out of the throat.

What is the procedure for having a tonsillectomy?
After dinner the night before the tonsillectomy, your child won’t be allowed to eat or drink anything — even water!

Upon arriving at the hospital, your child will receive a special bracelet with his/her name on it and hospital clothes. Your child will then meet the doctors and nurses that will be helping his/her. When the doctor is ready, your child will be given a special medicine that makes him/her fall asleep. Then, the doctor and nurses will use special tools to remove the tonsils. It doesn’t take very long – just about 20 minutes!

Upon waking up, the operation will be all over. Your child’s throat may hurt but the nurses and doctors will make sure everything is okay. In a few hours, your child will be ready to go home. Your child’s throat will be sore for a few weeks.

Once home, make sure your child drinks a lot and get lots of rest. It will help to keep his/her throat moist and your child’s body energized. It is okay for your child to eat non-dairy popsicles and other cold treats or soft food that makes the throat feel better, but save ice cream for the next day. Ice cream and other milk products can make your child’s throat worse right after the operation. Within approximately two weeks, your child should be ready to return to school and all normal activities.